


Reminiscence

by kehlani



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Angts, M/M, Strangers to Lovers, side markhyuck
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-19
Updated: 2018-06-19
Packaged: 2019-05-25 12:39:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,238
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14977334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kehlani/pseuds/kehlani
Summary: Renjun drops out of college, leaves everything behind once the memories begin to haunt him too much, however, one chilly morning he sees him again, except this time, is not really him.





	Reminiscence

**Author's Note:**

> im sorry if there are any mistakes avghdsa english is not my first language;; also i wrote this months agooo but i still kinda liked the idea????

His morning started like any other day. The puzzling sound thats is his alarm making him shift back to reality, leaving the comfort of his dreams right with the warmness of his old blankets.  
His feet touched the cold tiles on the ground making him leave out a small groan, this is the usual coldness that should be common for him every day, but still there’s no day he won’t yelp at surprise at it.

He grabs his round rimmed glasses and places them delicately on his face. Makes his way to the bathroom as his petite body shivers when the cold morning air caresses his exposed skin.

Upon entering the narrow bathroom he sets the glasses by the sink and gently splashes cold water to his face, hoping it would help him wake up somehow faster. Scanning his face on the small mirror he can see the dark bags adorning his beautiful round eyes, his cheekbones slowly protruding, no sort of glow visible on his complexion. He _is tired_ , he can tell as much but before he can pity himself any more he pushes those thoughts away as he goes back to the room and roams around trying to find something to wear, to wield his body from the freezing air that won’t stop creeping in.

Settling for some cream beige sweater and dark skinny jeans he dresses fast as he heads to the kitchen to grab something to calm his now sounding stomach, he didn’t realize he was that hungry.

But as his eyes land the kitchen he laughs, it really is laughable, there’s some sort of half apple on the fridge that looks past edible and next to it is some sort of homemade jam his friend forcefully gave him, because _he needed to eat more and gain some weight_. Closing the fridge fast before he cries at the sight he heads to the door and puts on his high rise converse who once were white, but now they’re more like a mix of colors that just implies how old the shoes actually are.

The first thing he notices when he goes out is the slap of cold air into his face, now creeping onto his exposed neck making him shiver instantly. Trying to fight back he holds his skinny arms around his chest and makes fast steps to the bus station, praying he won’t be too late.

Luckily for him, the bus just came as he waits quietly behind a queue of people who had been there way longer. As usual it is way too packed when he finally steps in, so he grabs to one of the poles and prays not to face fall right there when the bus shakes like mad.

However he doesn’t only have to worry about holding onto the bus pole as dear life but also his now furious stomach who growls once again, too loud to be heard by the quiet woman sitting right next to him, who just gives out a faint smile at the boy, that is now flushing dangerously to his impertinent stomach.

 

When it dares to growl back he decides to get down before it can embarrass him again, for his luck he is close to his workplace so he can just grab some coffee before heading there.

He spots a little coffee shop he goes by sometimes and runs to it as if his life depends on it, _i swear if someone else hear you i'm dying_ he says pleadingly to his stomach who somehow listened and is keeping quiet for now.

Entering the place, the familiar coffee smell lure him happily, and as if he was a young puppy he waves his nonexistent tail to the counter to order the hot beverage.

His eyes scan the trail of pastries and cakes in front of him, but he shakes his head, knowingly he can’t afford them even if he wanted, _self control Huang Renjun_!

Waiting for the usual friendly boy to attend him he is surprised to find an unknown tall figure imposingly standing in front of him, contrasting in front of his much awkward figure.

His eyes look up and his heart almost freezes _it can't be can it?, is this some sort of cruel joke?_ but before he can roam in his thoughts further a very much deep but friendly voice wakes him up from it.

“Hi! What would you like to take?”

Said boy says flashing a brightly pearly white smile that could probably blind you if you stared longer than needed.

“Eh… an iced coffee with cream please”

He knows his voice is trembling and he curses himself for it, he shouldn’t even think much of it.

His eyes roam once again to the pantry full of delicious food and sweets that could save his morning from being dull, his eyes so full of adoration someone might even think he is looking at a lover instead of a tray full of cakes.

Snapping him out of it the tall boy gives him a paper bag with his closed coffee inside and asks for the payment.  
Renjun pays for it and leaves, nodding politely at the boy and heading out to work.

It doesn’t take him longer than two seconds before he grabs the coffee from the bag but he wonders _why give a bag when i'm only asking for coffee_ , _well he must be new after all so he probably doesn’t know_ he concludes before putting his hand on the said bag to grab his much desired drink.

He leaves a small yelp when his hand touches something creamy, retreating his hand to see some cream on his fingers, he looks into the bag and sees a small cream puff messily wrapped into some tissues.  
Taking the pastry careful he unwraps it and looks at the sticky tissues with a note written on it.  
_“you looked at them so cutely i couldn’t resist!! Have a nice day :) LJ “_

He hums softly _that boy_ a mix of happiness and annoyance lurks into him, as to have looked cute in front of some random college boy who didn’t even know him.

Before he can dwell into more thoughts he eat the pastry feeling as if he is tasting actual heaven, he didn’t have anything like this in months probably.

He eats slowly trying to savour the vanishing sweet on his fingers, and before he realizes it, it's all gone as he leaves a small pout, _life really sucks_.

Renjun fastly drinks his coffee before actually entering his workplace, his shoulders feelings heavier and heavier every step he takes in.

 

His workplace isn’t like any other workplace, his workplace has beautiful flowers everywhere, stunning decorations and an incredibly smell that makes anyone happy just from entering.

However not to him, to him just feel _dull_ and _painful_. He is sure he can’t even smell the flowers anymore, can’t see the bright colors or the ornaments in the walls, instead he sees is just a whole mass of memories and pain, that he’s come to hate so much that entering the place feels just heavy.

With a weak smiles he waves at his coworkers who just throw venomous look at him, even tho they’re smiling back he know how much poison and evil those smiles hold. He’s come to learn it through the time.

Passing through them he goes to the small office behind, when he takes his thin jacket and grabs a light blue apron with his name tag on it.

He stares at the long mirror in the office, tracing his name on the name tag _Kim Renjun._

“And to think i haven’t got rid of this already… I really am a joke”

He sighs before setting the tag on his pocket and starting his day.

 

 

“ _Do you know him?_ ”

The shorter man approached him, curiously staring at the raven haired.

“No but, he seemed so hungry and… he was kinda skinny you know? I thought it would cheer him up”

“Oh, we have a gentleman here!”

Jeno groaned and stared at his coworker who was now loudly laughing at his flustered face, he paid it no mind and went back to prepare some orders.

“ _He’s called Renjun I believe, but I don’t recommend you get any closer than that, okay? Forget about him”_

The taller stared at him before nodding and resuming his task, ignoring the uneasiness feeling that’s lurking on the tip of his stomach now, _Renjun_.

 

 

Renjun steps into the store and the flowery scent surrounds him once again, it supposed to feel make others feel good and happy, but not him, definitely not him.

He tries his best to smile and pushes the ripping feeling in his stomach, talking sweetly to the little kids that barg in and push him to help them find the best bouquet for their mother. The kids stare at him for a second while grabbing his apron.

“Are you okay sir?”

 _Okay?_ He rightfully nods and tries his best to smile even brighter, it’s scary how much he perfected this whole fake act, and if they don’t believe they don’t even dare to ask, it has always been this way.

His coworkers keep throwing dirty glances at him while whispering something to themselves, whoever this has not effect on him as he kindly looks their way and sends out a small nod, which made them possibly even more irritated.

 

The whole day passes as numbly as it started and before he realizes it he’s in the back store again, staring at the mirror while sticking his name tag on the apron again before taking it out, _not today either._

He heads outside, where there’s no sunlight left, the streets beautifully illuminated by the dim lights of the street lamps. He closes his coat tighter to his chest and goes to the bus station waiting for the bus back home.

His phone buzz on his pocket and he gently unlocks it, _5 missed calls_ , he sighs before finally answering the call.

“ _Mark I’m heading home now, i’ll talk to you later”_

_“Wait! Don’t hang up, let me go visit your apartment. I will be there in 30 minutes”_

_“No don-”_

Before he knows it the lines goes dead and he stares at the device in his hands before saving it back again on his coat pocket, his friend can really be stubborn when he wants to, no use in trying to fight him.

 

Finally back to his apartment he throws his converse by the entrance and lays on the gray old couch, that’s even too small for him, his feet standing in the air.  
His whole body starts trembling by the lack of thick coat and he groans in the cushions before holding his knees to his chest to try to regain some warmth back.  
His eyelids feel heavier and heavier but the ripping cold and his growling stomach won’t let him sleep, his chest feels heavy once again, before he can wonder why the loud doorbell rips him out of his thoughts.

Lazily making his way to the old beaten up wooden door he opens it, finding his best friend staring at him with a worried expression, he hates that look.

“Why are you crying Injun, are you okay?”

 _Crying?_ He faintly touches his cheeks and the wet droplets that fall from it, he doesn’t remember starting crying, in fact he has no reason to cry at all.  
Mark stares at him confusedly before pulling him into a hug and pulling him to the kitchen.

The taller boy stares at the fridge and frowns, he walks back to the entrance and grabs the bags he dropped, filling the brunette’s kitchen with food.  
Renjun wants to protest but his stomach gives him out and he embarrassedly sits and rests his head between his arms looking at his friend.

Once the other has filled the cabinets and the fridge he grabs a chair and sits next to him, placing some food in front of the brunette.  
It doesn’t take him long to understand the action and start munching on the half warm food as if his life depended on it, making his friend chuckle.

“Will you tell me now what happened today?”

Renjun hesitates for a second, knowing fully well of how his friend will react, however he pushes forward and decided to tell him nonetheless.

“I saw him today, he was… working in the café i usually go. Okay... I know it wasn’t him but it was awfully similar, Mark I’m not maki-”

“Stop!”

He can sense his friend voice trembling full of anger, he should have known.

“Look I’m worried about you, Renjun it’s been a year already, you have to try getting over it. I can help you I told you. I have the number of this good phsycologist that-”

“Don’t Mark.” he almost yells back. “Thank you for the food, it’s late okay so I would prefer you’ll leave now”

Mark stays quiet for a while and then decides to get up sighing, he grabs his bags and bids farewell his friend who takes him to the front door feeling incredibly guilty, deep down he knows _he is right_.

He splashes his face with cold water once again and head to his bed to sleep, falling in top of it with a soft _hop_ , in no time, he’s fast asleep.


End file.
